Wine worth £420,000 being sought to stock House of Commons bars

Best-quality wines and champagnes are wanted for MPs. And for ‘best quality’ read ‘not just supermarket plonk’.

The bars in the House of Commons are searching for a ‘good wine supplier’ (Pic: PA)

A global selection of wine worth up to £420,000 is being sought to stock the House of Commons bars.

Would-be suppliers are warned it should be the type sold in hotels or private members’ clubs – and ‘not widely available on the High Street’.

The wording of the tender has prompted concern that MPs will seem elitist, following the resignation of Conservative chief whip Andrew Mitchell , who was accused of calling a police officer a pleb.

‘The bars need a good wine supplier and there is nothing wrong with that, but the way it’s worded is a bit too pompous-sounding,’ a Commons insider said. ‘It suggests MPs want better wines which the public don’t have access to – and that sends the wrong message.’

The tender offers a two-year contract to supply all four Commons bars, which are subsidised by taxpayers and sell wine for as little as £2.35 a glass.

A House of Commons spokesman said the open bidding process would secure the best deal. ‘It is general practice for the on-trade business to avoid wines which are widely available on the High Street,’ the spokesman added.